Signal intensity and signal-to-noise ratio may be generally important considerations for molecular and nanoparticle luminescence technologies, applications of which include but are not limited to chemical sensing, biochemical sensing, disease diagnostics, and environmental monitoring.
Novel photonic structures with new properties may find application in light emitting devices and optoelectronics. For example, while light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and related solid state lighting sources may be preferred over incandescent and fluorescent lighting, it may be difficult to engineer an efficient LED with a wavelength spectrum that is desired for an application. Currently, phosphors are used to convert the single emitting color of an LED to another colour or a mix of colours to produce white light, for example. Phosphors may be inefficient and may offer limited spectral shaping.
Photonic crystals (PhCs) are artificial periodic structures consisting of different dielectric materials where the index of refraction varies on length scales of the wavelength of light. The periodic dielectric contrast induces a forbidden region for electromagnetic waves, namely the photonic bandgap, or stop band for partial bandgap, which provides powerful means to control light.